1st emerging Materials Global Network 2025

1-2 September 2025 - We are delighted to announce that Dr. Wong Leong Sing (LIF 5) presented his paper, “The Impact of Calcined Wastepaper Ash as a Sustainable Pozzolanic Additive for High-Strength Concrete”, at the 1st Emerging Materials Global Network 2025, at the Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center, Istanbul Technical University (Ayazağa Campus). His participation was supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, under the LIF Community Travel Grant Scheme 1. On the second day of the conference, Dr. Wong also served as co-chair of the conference section Track 4: Environmental and Sustainable Materials, which addressed urgent global needs for environmentally friendly solutions, including life cycle assessment, recycling, renewable materials, and green chemistry.
Throughout the event, Dr. Wong engaged in discussions with international researchers on scaling up sustainable material innovation.

LIF ALUMNI MALAYSIA PHYSICAL MEETING WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS

18 September 2025 - The LIF Alumni Malaysia Country Chapter, chaired by Professor Dr. Anis Nurashikin Nordin and co-chair, Dr Nurul Husna Mohd Yusoff welcomed the new LIFGlobal 2025 alumni. In the meeting, members introduced themselves and exchanged ideas for the LIF Community Grants 2025 proposals. The session fostered meaningful networking, collaboration, and the co-creation of innovative and sustainable solutions, amongst alumni for greater impact. As a result of the meeting, 5 proposals were submitted to the Royal Academy of Engineering.

ENGAGEMENT WITH MRANTI AND MIGHT MALAYSIA

✨ Driving Innovation, Strategy, and Commercialisation for LIF Alumni Malaysia ✨

14 November 2025 - The Chair and Vice Chair of the LIF Alumni Malaysia Country Chapter, together with several committee members, held two strategic engagements to strengthen our support for all LIF Alumni across cohorts. The engagement with MIGHT focused on strategic foresight, national direction, and how LIF Alumni can align their expertise with Malaysia’s future industries. Together, we explored how our community can contribute more meaningfully to the nation’s innovation roadmap under MySTI and MOSTI. The engagement session with MRANTI centered on commercialization pathways from validating ideas to scaling solutions. The discussion highlighted opportunities for our alumni to access programs, networks, and resources that accelerate their journey from research to real market impact. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected innovation ecosystem for Malaysia !

REGENRICE x BIOLINK: Local Action in Malaysia

On 27 November 2025, the REGENRICE x BIOLINK Project was successfully implemented in Selangor, Malaysia, led by Prof. Monet Concepcion M. Detras and Co-Lead Assoc. Prof. Siti Shawalliah Idris of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). The initiative empowered local farmers with practical knowledge to improve soil health through biochar, a sustainable soil enhancer that increases agricultural productivity while supporting carbon sequestration.

Despite strong winds and heavy rain, the programme proceeded successfully, reflecting strong community commitment. Activities included a strategic LIF Global 2025 alumni exchange to align regional sustainability goals, hands-on training on biochar production and application for local crops, and an interactive mudball demonstration that reinforced sustainable practices in an engaging, practical way.

The project highlights the strong collaboration between Prof. Shawalliah, UiTM faculty and students, and the local farming community, demonstrating that community-driven innovation can thrive even in challenging conditions. As shared during the programme, “By sharing knowledge on biochar, we aren’t just improving soil; we are building resilient community enterprises for the future.”

Impact Assessment Workshop Empowers LIF Community Projects

On 11th December 2025, the LIF Alumni Malaysia Chapter hosted a specialized Impact Assessment Workshop designed to help community projects move from vision to verifiable results.This session, supported by the LIF Community Grant and the Royal Academy of Engineering, provided grant recipients with the technical roadmap needed to build their own bespoke evaluation tools.

Led by the expertise of Dr. Nurul Husna Yusoff who is also the Vice Chair of LIF Alumni Malaysia Chapter, the workshop focused on transforming project activities into measurable social change. Key outcomes included:

• Logic Model Framework: Participants learned to construct a "project blueprint," identifying the direct link between resources and long-term impact.

• KPI Customization: Guidance on defining Key Performance Indicators unique to each project’s mission rather than using one-size-fits-all metrics.

• Data Integrity: Standardizing professional methods for gathering credible evidence to ensure every success story is backed by rigorous data.

• Sustainability: Developing a structured methodology to quantify "Social Return on Investment," vital for securing future funding.

This initiative is proudly funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) community.

Global NetZero Study Tour in Vietnam

15 December 2025 - The LIF Alumni Malaysia Country Chapter’s LIF 6 alumni Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim represented Malaysia in the NetZero Study Tour – GreenLIF Network 2025 in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. Organized by the LIF Vietnam Alumni Chapter, Netzero– Developing a Circular Economy from Local Potential" brought together visionary minds from Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. As a keynote speaker, Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim shared Malaysia’s circular economy roadmap and how Malaysia established the National Circular Economy Council (NCEC) to orchestrate this nationwide transformation, creating a synchronized ecosystem across national, state, and local levels—with universities becoming "living laboratories" for sustainable innovation. Malaysia’s roadmap isn't just policy on paper; it's about legislation with teeth, corporate responsibility through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), genuine community empowerment through 3R practices, and infrastructure

Global Digital Empowerment for Educators – LIF Community Grant Project Bridges Innovation Across Borders

We are thrilled to celebrate the successful completion of the "Digital Empowerment for Educators through AI and Technology" program, held from 15th January to 11th February 2026. This initiative, a LIF Community Grant Project, successfully connected educators across Malaysia, South Africa, and Brazil to advance digital literacy and AI integration in classrooms. This ambitious global project was led by Ir. Dr. Ahmad Syahrin Idris, with vital support from co-leads Keletso Lekwakwe (South Africa) and Prof. Lisane Valdo (Brazil). The core team also included ChM Dr. Nurul Husna Mohd Yusoff, Assoc. Prof. Ir Dr. Siti Shawalliah Idris, and Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Fauziah Bt. Toha.

A Global Collaborative Journey

The program empowered educators through a series of specialized online and physical sessions designed to modernize teaching methodologies:

• Global Connections (15/01/2026): Launching a cross-continental network of innovative educators.

• AI Content Creation (20/01/2026): Mastering AI-driven visuals and content generation.

• Hybrid Strategies (22/01/2026): Exploring low-bandwidth AI solutions with sharing from LIF Innovators.

• Policy & Assessment (28/01/2026): Navigating AI feedback systems and educational policy.

• Grand Challenge (11/02/2026): Final presentations and program wrap-up.

'Final Grand Challenge and project wrap up on 11th February 2026.'

CLEAN WATER, HEALTHY FARMERS: TECHNOLOGY AGAINST LEPTOSPIROSIS EVENT (27TH JANUARY 2026)

This event was led by Prof Anis Nurashikin Nordin, involving 30 farmers from Kampung Kota, Negeri Sembilan. The program was fully sponsored by the LIF Community Grant from the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom) and the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The objective of this program was to raise awareness on the importance of clean water and the role of technology in preventing leptospirosis among farming communities. The program featured a series of talks by invited speakers, including Dr Mohd Ridzuan, Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, KKM, Prof Monet Concepcion Detras, University of Phillipines and Prof Hazleen Anuar from IIUM. We hope that this initiative will bring meaningful benefits to the community. Our sincere appreciation goes to all committee members for their valuable contributions in making this program a success.

Malaysia Spotlight: In-Country Physical Event

A major highlight occurred on 7th February 2026 at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club, where Malaysian educators gathered for a hands-on "Grand Event". Under the theme "Technology Improving Lives," participants engaged in practical workshops including:

•  Vibe Coding & Digital Prototyping: Rapidly developing digital solutions.

• AI Dashboards: Creating data-driven tools for classroom management.

• Networking & Discussion: Collaborative sessions between LIF Malaysia and local teachers.

• Innovation Exploration: Deep dives into digital tools tailored for modern education.
  

All the educators generally expressed high levels of satisfaction, describing the initiative as a valuable and engaging professional development opportunity for educators. The feedback highlights a strong appreciation for the supportive learning environment and the project's overall utility, with several respondents indicating a desire to participate in future sessions.

This initiative is supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF). The LIF Community is funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, ensuring that innovators worldwide have the resources to drive meaningful change.

'Malaysia In Country event take place on 7th February 2026 at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, Shah Alam Selangor.'

Technology Readiness Level Workshop